Christine Michael

For a player much talked about and bandied about, Michael sure didnít do much on the field in 2015, other than a few moments at the end of the year. But oh how he appeared in the transaction logs. He ...

Head coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that Michael is expected to be available for next Monday's game at Philadelphia, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports. "We've had enough time now to get him acclimated," McCarthy added. "We'll definitely look to have him part of the offense."

The Seahawks' 2013 second-round pick, Michael has looked like a bust to date. At least he got on the field for 10 games last year after playing only four games as a rookie, but he received just 34 carries and two targets. In advance of Week 1, Michael joined a Dallas backfield that already includes Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar. It's a scenario that puts him an injury or two away from fantasy utility, but given the quality of the team's offensive line, some of Michael's untapped potential could yield results for the Cowboys (and fantasy owners) as the season progresses.

2014

Michael saw almost no work last year as the third-stringer behind Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin, and that situation isn't projected to change much this year unless one of the top two guys suffers an injury. Nonetheless, the 5-10, 221-pound Michael is an electric runner with elite strength, agility and athleticism. He did have some durability trouble in college, and his scouting reports mention attitude issues, but he's healthy and hasn't had any reported conflicts at the NFL level. If Lynch goes down with an injury, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see Michael leapfrog Turbin and take the starting role. And even if Lynch stays healthy, Turbin's poor 2013 could lead to Michael displacing him as the backup.

2013

The Seahawks used their first pick in this year's draft on Michael even though they have a quality backup to Marshawn Lynch in Robert Turbin. It's easy to see why, as the 5-10, 220-pound Texas A&M product runs a 4.4 40, a blazing time for his size, and does not shy away from contact. Perceived attitude problems in college created discord with his head coach, leading the gifted back to underachieve as a senior, and a broken ankle and torn ACL in his four years raise durability questions. Nevertheless, given his physical skills, Michael has significant long-term upside if he can get onto the field.